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Celebrating and Protecting Pollinators!

The Boulder Pollinator Garden Project

Join the city and your neighbors to make Boulder a pollinator haven!

The Boulder Pollinator Garden Project is a new program to encourage the creation of high quality pollinator habitat throughout Boulder, both on public and private properties. The city will be mapping pollinator habitat in parks, open space and other city-owned properties and reaching out to other public entities to share and map their habitat. Home and business owners and other residents are encouraged to map their yards and gardens. The long-term goal for this program is to coordinate the efforts of local organizations and individuals to create pollinator pathways and connections to open space that will establish Boulder as a pollinator haven that supports bees, butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds and other pollinators and native wildlife.

What is a pollinator garden?

The basic elements of a pollinator garden are high quality food, water, nesting sites and protection. Follow these tips for a beautiful garden where pollinators will thrive:

Plant flowers that bloom all season - pollinators need food from spring to fall, so plant as many flowers as you can of different colors, shapes and types to create a smorgasbord of nectar and pollen. Like people, to be healthy bees and other pollinators need a variety of foods. A good diet helps bees to withstand all the other threats that are undermining their health, including disease, lack of habitat and pesticides. These low water plants are perfect for pollinator gardens in our climate and this guide shows you which plants bloom during each season. Choose several that bloom during each season to ensure that pollinators have a variety of food all season long.

Provide nesting sites for native bees - learn about the places and types of materials that native bees use for nesting sites and how to provide them in your garden. Check out helpful fact sheet from the Xerces Society to make your garden inviting for a multitude of native bee species.

Feed caterpillars - caterpillars turn into butteflies.Grow plants to provide nectar for adult butterflies and food for their young. Learn how with this fact sheet from Colorado State University.

Don't use pesticides! The decline of bees, other pollinators and many animals are associated with pesticide use. Play it safe and avoid pesticides. Learn more about protecting pollinators.

Go native! Plants that are native to our local area are the best way to attract and support native bees and other pollinators, since they evolved they evolved together. Native plants are beautiful, appropriate for our location and help to conserve water. Many of the weeds that are invading our natural lands originated as exotic ornamental plants in landscaping - yet another reason why it’s so important to choose native plants. Learn more about going native from Open Space and Mountain Parks and the Audubon Society’s Habitat Hero Program.

Map it! Do you already have a pollinator garden that you're ready to include in the map? Add it here! Get a sign or sticker for your garden by contacting the city at 303-441-1901 or [email protected] Or download the logo and create your own sign.